In a handful of titles, interactive elements add fun and whimsy. With punch-out parts on sturdy pages (plus instructions), readers can assemble their own canine companion-just like the resourceful boy who takes matters into his own hands when his parents refuse his requests for a dog in How I Built Rusty by Mark Shulman, illus. by Phillip Fickling. A preponderance of olive drab and tangerine give the proceedings a retro feel.